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Preseason Match: Boston City FC 2 Southie FC 0

Wed, Apr 12, 2017 11:14 am

Boston City opened the first of three preseason matches in preparation for the new National Premier Soccer League season with a 2-0 home win over Southie FC through goals from Jhonata Batista and Michael Rincon.

Coach Palhinha cast an eye over every member of his squad, playing three line ups of 11 players for three 30-minute spells against the BSSL champions.

It was the starting XI that proved the difference in the first half-an-hour, and Batista, making a welcome return from a broken leg that ended his 2016 season prematurely, flashed a finish agonizingly across the face of goal after only four minutes.

Southie might have taken an eighth minute lead but for Lions keeper Vitor Scariot standing tall to deny Manny Andrade, who had broken through a static defense.

The hosts posed a threat when breaking swiftly on the counter attack and Guilherme De Souza combined with Batista to set Homero Morais free down the left side, but last season’s top scorer took a heavy final touch and the ball ran free and was gathered by visiting keeper Joe Festa. Scariot was again called into action to thwart a chance at the other end before Boston City got the break through after 25 minutes.

From a quickly taken free kick, De Souza set Michael Rincon free down the right wing beyond the full back and his perfect cross from the end line flashed across goal for Batista to produce an unstoppable close range header.

Four minutes later the same three players combined to double the lead. De Souza fed Batista, who lost control of the ball, but Rincon was alert to pounce and score off his own rebound after Festa had saved initially.

The highlights from the second and third groups of Boston City replacements saw left-sided defender Jadson Leite rattle the post with a thunderous effort from 35 yards out, Kevin Herrera fire just wide and Luca Tarable (pictured) produce a bullet that just cleared the cross bar.